1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an apparatus for recording and reproducing video signals and audio signals on and from a magnetic tape in adjacent tracks which are inclined relative to the longitudinal direction of the tape, the apparatus comprising a drum-shaped scanning device around which the magnetic tape is wrapped along a helical path during recording and reproduction and which comprises a rotationally drivable head support for carrying a plurality of magnetic heads, the head support carrying one head pair for the transmission of analog video signals at at least one given tape speed, this one head pair comprising two diagonally arranged magnetic heads having head gaps with oppositely oriented azimuth angles for scanning the magnetic tape along adjacent inclined tracks, and at least one further head pair for the transmission of analog audio signals at at least one given tape speed, this further head pair comprising two diagonally arranged magnetic heads having head gaps with oppositely oriented further azimuth angles for scanning the magnetic tape along further adjacent inclined tracks, the azimuth angles of the two magnetic heads of the one head pair being smaller than the further azimuth angles of the two magnetic heads of the further head pair, the apparatus further comprising a signal processing device for processing analog video signals and analog audio signals, this signal processing device being connected to the respective magnetic heads during the transmission of analog video signals and analog audio signals.
The invention also relates to an apparatus for recording and/or reproducing video signals and audio signals on/from a magnetic tape in adjacent tracks which are inclined relative to the longitudinal direction of the tape, the apparatus comprising a drum-shaped scanning device around which the magnetic tape is wrapped along a helical path during the recording and reproduction of signals and which comprises a rotationally drivable head support for carrying a plurality of magnetic heads, the head support carrying one head pair for the transmission of information signals at at least one given tape speed, this one head pair comprising two diagonally arranged magnetic heads having head gaps with oppositely oriented azimuth angles for scanning the magnetic tape along adjacent inclined tracks, and at least one further head pair for the transmission of further information signals at at least one given tape speed, this further head pair comprising two diagonally arranged magnetic heads having head gaps with oppositely oriented further azimuth angles for scanning the magnetic tape along further adjacent inclined tracks, the azimuth angles of the two magnetic heads of the one head pair being smaller than the further azimuth angles of the two magnetic heads of the further head pair, the apparatus further comprising a signal processing device for processing the information signals and the further information signals, this signal processing device being connected to the respective magnetic heads during the transmission of information signals and further information signals.
The invention further relates to a magnetic tape for cooperation with an apparatus of the type defined in the first paragraph, and with an apparatus of the type defined in the second paragraph, this tape having been provided with adjacent tracks which are inclined relative to the longitudinal direction of the tape.
2. Description of the Related Art
An apparatus of the type defined in the first and second paragraphs has been marketed by, for example, Philips Electronics under the type designation VR 632, and is known therefrom. This known apparatus is a video recorder in accordance with the VHS standard for analog video signals in accordance with a PAL television standard. In this video recorder, the head support of the drum-shaped scanning device carries a first head pair comprising two diagonally disposed magnetic heads having head gaps with comparatively small oppositely oriented first azimuth angles of approximately +6.degree. an -6.degree., a second head pair comprising two diagonally disposed magnetic heads having head gaps also with comparatively small oppositely oriented second azimuth angles of approximately +60 an -6.degree., and a further head pair comprising two diagonally disposed magnetic heads having head gaps with comparatively large oppositely oriented further azimuth angles of approximately +30.degree. an -3020 . With the known video recorder, it is possible to record and reproduce analog PAL video signals by means of the magnetic heads of the first head pair in comparatively wide first inclined tracks having a track width of approximately 48 .mu.m while the magnetic tape is driven at a normal tape speed in a so-called Short-Play mode, to record and reproduce analog PAL video signals by means of the magnetic heads of the second head pair in comparatively narrow second inclined tracks having a track width of approximately 24 .mu.m while the magnetic tape is driven at a reduced tape speed in a so-called Long-Play mode, and to record and reproduce analog frequency-modulated audio signals both in the Short-Play mode and in the Long-Play mode by means of the magnetic heads of the further head pair in comparatively narrow further inclined tracks having a track width of approximately 32 .mu.m in the Short-Play mode and of approximately 24 .mu.m in the Long-Play mode. During recording both in the Short-Play mode and in the Long-Play mode, the analog frequency-modulated audio signals are first recorded in the comparatively narrow further inclined tracks, recording being effected down to deeper lying areas of the magnetic tape, and after this, the analog PAL video signals are recorded on the magnetic tape in the comparatively wide first inclined tracks and in the comparatively narrow second inclined tracks, which is effected in less deep areas of the magnetic tape.
As a result of the arrangement of the magnetic heads on the head support of the drum-shaped scanning device, the recording of analog video signals and analog frequency-modulated audio signals in the known apparatus is effected in such a manner that the comparatively narrow further inclined tracks, which are scanned by the magnetic heads of the further head pair in the Short-Play mode and in which the analog audio signals are recorded, are wholly overlapped by the comparatively wide first inclined tracks, which are scanned by the magnetic heads of the first head pair in the Short-Play mode and in which the analog video signals are recorded, and that the comparatively narrow further inclined tracks, which are scanned by the magnetic heads of the further head pair in the Long-Play mode and in which the analog frequency-modulated audio signals are recorded, are, in essence, also overlapped by the comparatively narrow second inclined tracks, which are scanned by the magnetic heads of the second head pair in the Long-Play mode and in which the analog video signals are recorded. Expressed in other words, this means that in the known apparatus, not only the magnetic heads of the further head pair and the magnetic heads of the first head pair scan mutually overlapping inclined tracks in the Short-Play mode but also the magnetic heads of the further head pair and the magnetic heads of the second head pair scan mutually overlapping inclined tracks in the Long-Play mode. This imposes the restriction that the known apparatus is only capable of recording and reproducing analog video signals and analog audio signals as explained above.
As already stated, an apparatus of the type defined in the first and second paragraphs has been marketed by Philips Electronics under the type designation VR 632, and is known therefrom. The construction of this known apparatus has already been explained above. It is to be noted merely that this known apparatus is only capable of recording, and hence, storing and reproducing information signals in the form of analog PAL video signals and further information signals in the form of analog frequency-modulated audio signals on/from a magnetic tape.
A magnetic tape of the type defined in the third paragraph is also generally known, for example, from the magnetic-tape-cassettes in accordance with the VHS standard which are currently marketed worldwide.